Jon Heyman reports that Ryan Madson are close to signing a deal. It would be for one year. Heyman says that Madson would become the Angels closer, and that Ernesto Frieri would set up. The financial terms are not yet known.

Madson missed the entire 2012 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. In 2011 he posted a 2.37 ERA in 60 and two-thirds innings for Philly, saving 32 games. The Angels are taking a bit of a gamble on Madson by making him their closer — command often lags arm strength for members of the Tommy John Alumni Society — but with Frieri around, the risk is less than it might be for many teams.

Seems a little risky to go ahead and anoint him the closer coming off of Tommy John, especially after the season that Ernesto Frieri just put up. Granted, it might all be window dressing just to get him to ink the deal. Hard to convince guys who market themselves as “closers” to sign somewhere as a set-up man. Personally, I’ll be intrigued to see who else the Angels add this winter. They took a big gamble by letting Haren walk and could end up with a very light rotation next year if they don’t re-sign Grienke and add another arm elsewhere.